KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 8

Dakchyata project team leader, Erik Winther-Schmidt, today formally completed the handover of nine buses to Jeeb Narayan Kafle, member secretary of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training.

The buses are for nine CTEVT schools under the Strengthening Employer Engagement in CTEVT Schools project, and are provided as part of efforts to increase the accessibility of technical and vocational education and training across Nepal. These buses will provide a safe and reliable means of transport for TVET students to attend training courses, as well as support outward travel of students and instructors alike to visit and interact with businesses and employers in the local area.

Fostering closer links between CTEVT schools and local business and industry is one of the main objectives of the SEECS project, ensuring that skills training provision meets the demands of the local employment market, increasing the employability potential of graduates.

According to a press release issued by British Council Nepal, the provision of vehicles represents a practical means of increasing accessibility in the nine schools, alongside a range of other measures designed to support students in training.

Member Secretary Kafle thanked the project and declared the buses would help address some of the physical barriers to accessing relevant skills training linked to the labour market.

Shahida MacDougall, country director, British Council Nepal, said, "We are proud of our partnership with CTEVT schools to further improve accessibility and inclusion for students and instructors alike - which are one of the key drivers of sustainability. We hope that this initiative will also be beneficial and create additional jobs and economic opportunities for local communities and businesses."

The SEECS project, which operates through nine CTEVT schools across the country, promotes capacity building of both public and private sector on institutional, regional, national, and central levels.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 9, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.